English
ens
Ens comes from Late Latin ēns ‘thing’, and goes back to esse ‘to be’.
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEesse‘to be’
- Late Latin, derivedc. 200–600 CEēns‘thing’
- Englishearliest quotation 1791ens
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEesse‘to be’
- Late Latin, derivedc. 200–600 CEēns‘thing’
- Englishearliest quotation 1791ens
Earliest quotation: 1791, Erasmus Darwin, The Economy of Vegetation: “Forms sphered in fire with trembling light array'd, /…”
Linked words
through Late Latin esse ‘to be’
present, essence, esse, 2 more
through Late Latin ēns ‘thing’
Today it means
noun An entity or being; an existing thing, as opposed to a quality or attribute.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Late Latin esse / ens